This invention relates to an air intake manifold assembly for a vehicle engine.
An air intake manifold provides air to a vehicle engine. Typically, air is received by an air intake and passed to the air intake manifold where the manifold divides the air through passages into separate streams for each cylinder of the engine. The air intake manifold is mounted to the engine so that each of the separate passages of the manifold provides air to each of the separate combustion chambers of the engine. Fuel injectors are located over each cylinder of the engine as well and serve to distribute fuel for mixture with the incoming air from the manifold. This mixture is then combusted in the cylinder.
Manufacturers have used valves within the manifold to control the flow of air through each passage. These valves are commonly known as tumble or swirl valves. As known, these valves may be opened and closed to adjust the level of air turbulence within the passage of the manifold. In so doing, these valves may improve the performance of the engine, improve its efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions.
Due to the location of these valves within the passages of the manifold, these valves may be difficult to adjust and/or service. In addition, their location within the manifold increases the complexity of the manifold as well as the number of its parts. As a consequence, the manifold is costly to produce.
A need therefore exists for a simplified air intake manifold assembly that has tumble valves.